joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "MICHAEL OWUSU" <michaelowusu2@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 23:40:07 +0100
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED/FROM MICHAEL OWUSU


*Dear Friend,*

* I hope this may not constitute sort of embarrassment to you, My name is
Mr.Michael Owusu,I am the regional bank manager of the Barclays Bank Ghana
Ltd.I came to know you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable
person to handle this Confidential Transaction. I am 43 years of age and
married with 2 lovely kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of
PEACE and INTEGRITY; I only hope we can assist each other. I have packaged a
financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional Auditor
General of the Barclays Bank Ghana Ltd.; it is my duty to send in a
financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of
each year. On the course of last year 2007 end of year report, I discovered
that my branch in which I am the manager made an excess profit of five
million united states dollars [US$5,000,000.00] which my head office are not
aware of and will never be aware of. I have since placed this fund on what
we call ESCROW ACCOUNT without any beneficiary. *

* As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money,
this is why I.m contacting you for us to work so that you can assist and
receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE. I will offer you
20% of the total amount for your assistance.*

*Note that there are practically no risks involved in this transaction , it
will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the
original depositor of this fund who made the deposit with Takoradi branch so
that my Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.
Do not make undue the advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I
assure you we can achieve it successfully. *

*Best regards
Mr.Michael Owusu
+233-24-2047160
*

*
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam